savory

[sey-vuh-ree]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR savory ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, sa·vor·i·er, sa·vor·i·est.

pleasant or agreeable in taste or smell: a savory aroma.

piquant: a savory jelly.

pleasing, attractive, or agreeable.

noun, plural sa·vor·ies.

British. an aromatic, often spicy course or dish served either as an appetizer or as a dessert, as pickled fish or brandied fruit.

Also especially British, sa·vour·y.

Origin of savory

1175–1225; Middle English savori (see savor, -y¹); replacing Middle English savure < Old French savoure, past participle of savourer to savor

Related formssa·vor·i·ly, adverbsa·vor·i·ness, noun

Can be confusedsavior savor savory

Synonyms for savory

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR savory ON THESAURUS.COM

1, 2. See palatable.

savory

[sey-vuh-ree]

noun, plural sa·vor·ies.

any of several aromatic herbs belonging to the genus Satureja, of the mint family, especially S. hortensis (summer savory) or S. montana (winter savory), having narrow leaves used in cookery.

Origin of savory

1350–1400; Middle English saverey, perhaps for Old English sætherie < Latin saturēia (whence also Old English saturege, Middle English satureie)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for savory

fragrant, spicy, wholesome, sweet, delectable, pungent, aromatic, luscious, tasty, tempting, appetizing, tangy, mellow, piquant, good, rich, dainty, relishing, agreeable, ambrosial

Examples from the Web for savory

Contemporary Examples of savory

I thought it was narratively satisfying—but it was not so savory.
Michael C. Hall on Where ‘Dexter’ Went Wrong and His New Killer Role in ‘Cold in July’
Melissa Leon
May 23, 2014
Each firm, moist piece packs a provocative sweet and savory punch.
Become a Fried Seafood Believer at South Beach Market
Jane & Michael Stern
April 20, 2014
Top it with sweet and savory goop, and proclaim a new era in the world of pizza.
Domino’s Fried-Chicken Pizza Means We’ve Hit Peak Food Trolling
Daniel Gross
April 16, 2014
The savory smell of stewed meat drifts through the cold air.
A Dickensian Christmas For Greece’s New Poor
Barbie Latza Nadeau
December 22, 2013
The pained back and forth between my sweet side and my savory side.
What's the Most Indispensable Kitchen Machine?
Megan McArdle
October 26, 2012

Historical Examples of savory

There was, indeed, but little said, but the words were savory and Scriptural.
The Works of Whittier, Volume V (of VII)
John Greenleaf Whittier
Wine is usually optional in savory dishes; it gives richness only.
Culture and Cooking
Catherine Owen
Their nostrils were regaled with the savory fumes of the cooking meat.
War from the Inside
Frederick L. (Frederick Lyman) Hitchcock
Faith, Mary, you're a good cook; that's as savory a stew as ever I tasted.
Tom Burke Of "Ours", Volume I (of II)
Charles James Lever
This was after dinner, which had been a savory meal served by a man cook.
Peak and Prairie
Anna Fuller

British Dictionary definitions for savory

savory

noun plural -vories

any of numerous aromatic plants of the genus Satureja, esp S. montana (winter savory) and S. hortensis (summer savory), of the Mediterranean region, having narrow leaves and white, pink, or purple flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)

the leaves of any of these plants, used as a potherb

Word Origin for savory

C14: probably from Old English sætherie, from Latin saturēia, of obscure origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for savory

adj.

"pleasing in taste or smell," c.1200, from Old French savore "tasty, flavorsome" (Modern French savouré), past participle of savourer "to taste" (see savor (n.)).

aromatic mint, late 14c., perhaps an alteration of Old English sæþerie, which is ultimately from Latin satureia "savory (n.)," a foreign word in Latin. But early history of the word suggests transmission via Old French savereie. In either case, the form of the word probably was altered by influence of the Middle English or Old French form of savory (adj.).